1. Technical Field
This invention relates to conveyor apparatus and method for use in mining operations. In one aspect, this invention relates to mining apparatus and method for performing continuous haulage in a mine.
2. Background Mining operations today use conveyor apparatus extensively to remove material, e.g., such as coal or ore, from the mine. The conveyor apparatus improves productivity over those methods which do not have "continuous" means for removing the mined material from the mine face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,997, issued to Nelson, discloses a mobile cascade conveyor system, but nevertheless presents a background of the invention describing parallel room mining with intermittent/discontinuous or continuous methods for carrying coal from the continuous miner.
Continuous miner machines work at removing the mined material, e.g., ore or coal, from the mine face and thereby extend into the mine and away from the conveyor or other means for removing the material produced by the continuous miner. After the continuous miner extends so far, the miner must be retracted away from the mine face to install or construct roof supports. Accordingly, the mined material removal means, e.g., the conveyor apparatus, must be capable of extension and retraction in conjunction with movement of the continuous miner.
Conveyor apparatus available commercially today can be viewed as severely limited with respect to its flexibility and ease of operation in providing the extension and retractability for following the continuous miner. A new apparatus and method are needed to provide mined material removal for continuous haulage.